Well, I know that I haven't had much interaction with you here or back at the old place, but I have always felt that the topics that you developed were born of a genuine interest in the matter at hand. I understand the frustration, which is why I tend to lurk more than respond, but i do hope that you won't let petty squabbles stop you from continuing to learn or to post, even if only once in a great while.

...I can participate more in the threads that don't inevitably lead to bitter hatred among users. — darthbarracuda

I haven't seen that happening here. I didn't see that happening much at the other PF either. People may vehemently disagree. People may zero in on a particular statement and blast away (such as has happened in the thread about armed societies being polite...). When people flew into rages, it generally seemed like the standard nonsensical rude internet behavior we all know and love so well.

But this goes with the territory. It would be terminally boring if everyone approached disagreement as a mere coding problem which required minor correction in texts. One would want to scream, "Come on, show some emotion, damn you!"

We all have our ups and downs with internet forums, but you've made a really important contribution to the growing community here, and it's appreciated, so I hope at some point you'll consider posting here again regularly. Cheers.

As BitterCrank suggests there are topics such as my thread on "An armed society is a polite society" where I have learned to go in wearing a helmet because I can tell that there will be incoming fire AND there was a time where I would have taken it personally. I know how taking a reply or replies personally (sometimes it is unavoidable) can build and cause a burnout of sorts.

Over time I have realized that the exchange of ideas, the argument presented against each others ideas, is all about 'ideas' not about each other. If you find that someone is dissecting your ideas, that is a positive step in the discipline we call Philosophy, if you find that someone is dissecting you, that is a negative effect on the communication of a forum and should be reported. Sometimes I wish there was a way to see these things brewing before someone gets burnt. I guess we have to be willing to talk about how we feel, before we feel like we are being cast aside.

Thank you for your being here, sharing and hopefully we will read you on the boards again soon!
Oh and anytime you feel the need for your own helmet?
Just drop me a PM and I'll toss you one for I have collected more over time than I will ever be able to put to good use. ;)

Is posting a farewell on a forum a suicide letter and attempt done for attention that may, on occasion, actually succeed? Why bother saying something if you want to leave instead of just leaving?

This isn't a bad interface.

I had dropped off PF before the sale. I'd had little of interest to say for a while; the arguments I had refuted just kept repeating, is what i'd say; but my interlocutors might differ.

Also, time spent doing Real Things has increased.

Meh. It's all Goats, anyway.

Take a break if need be, then return when you're ready. That's my advice. It worked for me.

Not to sound crass, but I wonder what you do that enables you to post so much. Perhaps more of your free time could be spent reading philosophy rather than posting about it here. They're both valuable and interesting, but the former vastly more so than the latter (at least for me).

Well, I recently quit my job so there's that.

Also, time spent doing Real Things has increased
Meh. It's all Goats, anyway. — Banno

I can relate, but a dose or two of your caprine wisdom would be appreciated anyway. Do indulge when you get the time. (Y)

Perhaps more of your free time could be spent reading philosophy rather than posting about it here. They're both valuable and interesting, but the former vastly more so than the latter (at least for me). — Thorongil

Don't know about this. I find I learn a lot more by posting than by reading alone, or posting requires more reading and so on. I tend to forget what I read fairly quickly unless I process it somehow. And writing is a good way to do that (in whatever field - I'm not just talking about philosophy here). Of course, posting off the top of your head without having read isn't good either. But I'd give reading and using (in whatever form including posting) equal weight.

Don't know about this. I find I learn a lot more by posting than by reading alone, or posting requires more reading and so on. — Baden

Agreed!

Reading alone is how many a manifesto has it's beginning... leading to subsequent explosions. :-O

Meow!

GREG

hey guys,
I've continued to hang out on The Philosophy Forum, but missed you guys, so I thought I'd stop in.

anony

Welcome~ 8-)

Post when the mood strikes you, when you see something you find interesting; nothing more. Pay no attention to those men, and women, behind the curtain that is the Web.

Post when the mood strikes you — Ciceronianus the White

Hey Ciceronianus! It's good to see you on the boards!
How has life been treating you?

Hey Ciceronianus! It's good to see you on the boards!
How has life been treating you? — ArguingWAristotleTiff

Not as well as it should, but well enough. Getting back to Chicago at all? I'll be wandering around the Loop and River North in a few weeks.

Not as well as it should, but well enough. — Ciceronianus the White

Sometimes well enough is the best you can hope for. ;)

Getting back to Chicago at all? I'll be wandering around the Loop and River North in a few weeks. — Ciceronianus the White

Oh how I wish! Please tell her Hello from me and share with her how much I miss her. (L)
I was there in February for a week and stayed at the Presidential Towers, taking the train out to Westmont and Hinsdale every day and back to the city at night. My Dad is in a Manor Care facility so when I go, it's a family event and a lot of pressure. I have found taking the train back to the city allowed me to decompress and fall back into the city groove by the time we reached Union Station.
There is something about Chicago and it's might that calls me home. (L)

There is something about Chicago and it's might that calls me home. (L) — ArguingWAristotleTiff

Me as well. In fact, I bet my bottom dollar I'll lose the blues there.

You might lose the blues in Chicago, or about as likely, get shot while they are robbing you of your bottom dollar.

You might lose the blues in Chicago, or about as likely, get shot while they are robbing you of your bottom dollar. — Bitter Crank

I'll take that bet. Chicago, is a safe town, just like Mayberry only a bit frisky! ;)

Me as well. In fact, I bet my bottom dollar I'll lose the blues there — Ciceronianus the White

Similar souls~ 8-)

PF is down today. Can't even ping the server.

Actually, I've always had a good time in Chicago, going back to the 60s when Old Town was in its hippie hay days and as recently as last fall.

If only there were another philosophy forum, eh? ;)

Well I admit I'm a hopeless addict. I had already announced there in early June that I was done, finished, said all I was going to say....but what else is there to do?

You're not addicted. You're just always surprised that you don't stop having new things to say. 8-)

PF going down is nothing new, so I expect it's short term. In any case, welcome, bienvenue, and failte to all homeless thinkers who knock on our doors 8-) .

Actually, I've always had a good time in Chicago, going back to the 60s when Old Town was in its hippie hay days and as recently as last fall. — Bitter Crank

Awww now I am getting home sick to see Chicago in the fall and I was just there this past February. Buddy Guy is a blues singer from Chicago that I always try to catch but the closest he is going to on this tour is California, in which case it might be cheaper for me to see him in Chicago~ (L)

I bet my bottom dollar I'll lose the blues there — Ciceronianus the White

My brother had that song on a 78, back in the 1950's, that also included songs from High Society. One of my favourite politically dodgy things to do is to perform a passable imitation of the Satchmo contribution to the climax to the song 'High Society'...Bap-bip-pee-oh-mo-yeh-----uuuuuuu-teeeee...